Tomlinson Centre Catering Management Contract

The Tomlinson Centre is the London Borough of Hackney's purpose built PDC (Professional Development Centre) which hires out education and conferencing facilities to internal and external clients. It is open 50 weeks of the year, with fluctuating room hire and usage across the year dependent upon booking patterns. We serve around 30,000 visitors per year.

The service mostly runs between 8.30am and 3pm, but on occasion can start as early as 6am or run as late as 10pm.

The provision of catering services at The Tomlinson Centre has operated since 2009 and has been one of its exemplary activities; regularly receiving positive feedback for the quality of food, service and the variety of its offering. One overarching aim of this Specification is to ensure that this service is maintained at this level and the transition to the new contractor be non-disruptive.

The Council is seeking a service provider to fully manage the Tomlinson Centre's internal catering function, using an 'Open Book' system, in which the Council shall meet all operating costs and pay the Service Provider a set monthly Management fee.

The service provider shall be expected to manage the service cost effectively to ensure that the Council receives excellent value for money and minimises its expenditure. The Council is also open to ideas that can generate additional income.

Any surplus revenue that is generated shall be split between the Council and the Contractor on a 50/50 basis.

The Contractor shall be required to deliver the service according to a set of specific and detailed health-conscious criteria, that accounts for a wide variety of dietary requirements.

The Council shall meet all Direct costs associated with operating the Service.